Soccer-Euro-Expanded Euros will retain quality - Platini

June 18, 2012|Reuters

By Justin Palmer

WARSAW, June 18 (Reuters) - The next European Championshipwill not suffer a drop in quality when it expands to 24 teams in2016 from the current 16-team format, UEFA president MichaelPlatini said on Monday.

"Twenty-four is ok...I think it's ok. Eight good teams toadd. It's not a problem of quality," Platini told reporters onMonday, looking ahead to France 2016 after giving a glowingassessment of the ongoing tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

Euro 2012 has provided plenty of goals and entertainment inthe 22 matches to date and approaching the end of the groupstage is yet to feature a goalless draw.

Fears have been raised that adding eight teams to thetournament will see middle and lower-ranked sides qualifying andresorting to overly defensive tactics, looking to avoidhumiliating defeats at the hands of the major European powers.

"We can have eight more teams as good as the rest, and alsohave a fantastic round of 16," added Platini.

"It's very important for the (additional) countries thatqualify. It is good for the national associations and theirdevelopment.

"The sponsors are present because they are proud toparticipate."

Platini said more teams meant "more games in stadiums whichleads to better investment".

The Frenchman pointed to the examples of Ukraine cities Lvivand Kharkiv, which invested millions in stadiums andinfrastructure but are staging just three group matches apiece,as an example of where host cities in future tournaments willbenefit from more games.

"How can we ask to a city like Lviv to build an airport, tobuild a big stadium, and after three games it is finished forthe Euro?"

Three-times European champions Germany have said they have"mixed feelings" over the expansion of the tournament.

The European Championship started as a four-team tournamentin 1960, expanding to eight in 1980 and 16 in 1996.